Victorians confirmed sports mad
By Bianca Wordley - Fox Sports
NEW statistics have proved what many had already suspected - Victorians truly are sports mad.
A Victorian government report, Victorians' Participation in Exercise, Recreation and Sport, has provided for the first time a comprehensive snapshot into sports participation rates in the state.
The data showed 76 per cent, or 2.9 million Victorians 15 years or older, took part in organised sports or physical activities in 2001/02.
Releasing the report, Commonwealth Games, Sport and Recreation Minister Justin Madden said the information showed Victorians were more active than the Australian average.
"It is also the first time we have been able to show across gender, by region and by activity the level of activity across Victoria," he said.
About 5500 people throughout Victoria were interviewed as part of the study, which showed what regions of Victoria were most active, what gender was most active and what sporting or recreational activity was most popular.
Mr Madden said the results would be used by the government to target specific sectors of the community to increase participation rates in sport and recreation.
"You'd think that Melbourne's reputation as the sporting capital is safe but you can always improve that," Mr Madden said.
"We'd like to see an increase in activity.
"It's important we at least try and have a go and try and be more active in any way we can."
The report showed that walking was the most popular activity, with 30.5 per cent of Victorians involved, closely followed by aerobics, swimming, cycling and tennis.
Golf, running, Australian Rules, basketball and bushwalking also proved popular.
The most active regions were Melbourne's inner eastern and southern areas while the least active regions were Melbourne's north-western area and the central Highlands of Victoria.
The report also showed that a greater proportion of Victorian men then women participated in organised sport and recreation, but overall more women took part more frequently in physical activity.
